Chapter 8 - What the Road Could Prove
Charlie Frost eventually agreed to speak with investigators through his attorney. Lena learned the substance of his account only when the detective could lawfully share it.
Charlie admitted he'd driven a North Creek tow truck on the road where Ben died. He said the vehicle had developed a brake problem during the previous week and that he had reported it to his supervisor. He had been told to complete his route until a replacement could be arranged. Whether the company's maintenance records supported his recollection remained under review.
He said that when he tried to slow near Ben's parked truck, the tow truck pulled left. He swerved, clipped Ben's pickup, and continued several yards before stopping. He could not explain exactly where Ben was standing at impact. He claimed he'd approached the cab afterward to retrieve a dispatch envelope Walter had instructed him to pick up, believing it contained company papers. He acknowledged not calling emergency services immediately and leaving the scene before an officer arrived.
Reyes emphasized that Charlie's account would have to be tested against the physical evidence and other statements. It was a significant admission, not the end of the investigation.
"Did Walter tell him to leave?" Lena asked.
"He claims his supervisor told him to come back to the yard. We are checking communications and logs."
"And my husband?"
The detective's face softened. "The medical evidence indicates he suffered fatal injuries in the collision. Nothing in the recovered footage establishes a deliberate attack. I know that may not be the answer you imagined when you began asking questions."
Lena had imagined every kind of betrayal. Some nights she'd thought Ben was murdered to stop his audit. Other nights she'd pictured a stranger swerving by accident and driving away in fear. The emerging account was cruel in its banality: defective equipment, ignored warnings, questionable invoices, a driver afraid of consequences, and multiple people treating a death as a problem to be managed quietly.
Priya helped her understand the separate legal pathways. The current title and billing irregularities could support complaints and potential civil claims. The collision and alleged departure from the scene raised other questions for prosecutors and insurers. Time had limited what could be reconstructed. No competent lawyer could promise that every person who made a wrong decision would face a charge.
At a public meeting the city procurement staff summarized preliminary billing findings without naming every business involved. Some North Creek invoices appeared to exceed approved rates or claim storage days that records did not support. The city announced additional review and contract remedies. Walter attended with counsel and declined to discuss disputed facts outside the process.
Lena spoke during public comment. She did not mention Charlie's private statements or describe Walter as a murderer. She held up the public contract rate sheet and a redacted invoice.
"My husband spent his last weeks trying to understand why these numbers didn't match," she said. "He made mistakes in how he handled some of those bills. But he wrote the questions down. I'm asking the city to answer them and make the process understandable to other families before they receive bills they cannot challenge."
Several owners approached her afterward. One described a car held for storage after she'd already produced proof of ownership. Another said he'd paid twice for a release because no one answered the lot's office telephone. Their complaints were not proof of one coordinated scheme, but they gave the city concrete transactions to review.
The next morning Jax's attorney offered revised terms concerning Ben's pickup. The dealer would cooperate with authorities, provide the original restoration records, and transfer the truck to Lena at a price reflecting the actual documented salvage costs, without requiring a blanket release. The proposed agreement was subject to the insurer and title requirements.
Lena looked at the offer for a long time.
She had once wanted the truck back so desperately she might have signed anything. Now she asked Priya for a full review and an independent mechanical inspection before deciding. Recovering a vehicle should not require surrendering the truth about how it changed hands.
That evening Rosa found Lena standing in the empty bay where Ben used to park. She carried the original red paint chip Rosa had saved from one of the old panels.
"You can make it look exactly like it was," Rosa said.
"I don't know whether that's what I want."
"You don't have to decide today."
May you like
Lena closed her hand around the chip.
For the first time, she believed her.
